Natural Radioactivity in Soil Samples in Nineveh Province and the Associated Radiation Hazards

Laith A. Najam^1, , Shaher A. Younis¹ and Fouzey H. Kithah²

¹Physics Department, College of Science, Mosul Univ., Mosul, IRAQ

²Ministry of Science and Technology, Baghdad, IRAQ

Cite this paper:
Laith A. Najam, Shaher A. Younis and Fouzey H. Kithah. Natural Radioactivity in Soil Samples in Nineveh Province and the Associated Radiation Hazards. International Journal of Physics. 2015; 3(3):126-132. doi: 10.12691/ijp-3-3-6

Abstract

The natural radioactivity due to presence of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in soil of Nineveh zone, Nineveh province, Iraq were measured by using gamma-ray spectrometry based on high-purity germanium detector. The specific activity of soil samples ranged from 16.21 to 38.83 Bq/kg with an average of value of 32.52±6.48 Bq/kg, 8.53 to 28.37 Bq/kg with an average of 20.30±5.36 Bq/kg, 236.03 to 613.11 Bq/kg with an average of 378.93± 123.29Bq/kg, and 2.18 to 17.92 Bq/kg with an average of 8.17± 5.55 Bq/kg for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs respectively. The study also examine some radiation hazard indices such as Radium equivalent activity (R_aeq), Absorbed gamma dose rate (D), External hazard index (H_ex), Internal hazard index (H_in) and gamma index (I_γ). These calculated hazard indices to estimate the potential radiological health risk in soil. The radium equivalent activity average (R_aeq) was less than the permitted value (370 Bq/kg). The average absorbed dose rate value also less than the permissible limit of 55 nGy/h. The external hazard index, internal hazard index and gamma index of soil samples were less than unity.

Keywords:
soil radioactivity high-purity germanium detector absorbed dose rate activity concentrations external hazard index

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